And my mother used to tell me, "What will you become, girl?" You know what I mean. "No, I will become a singer, because if you don't buy me a guitar, there are no letters, no shop, nothing." What could my father do? He bought me a guitar, a teacher, and a master.

SOTIRIA BELLAS

The book Panos Geramanis and “Popular Bards”: Moments from their lives is a tribute to the hundreds of artists and creators who interacted with Panos Geramanis in a historic radio program on ERT from 1990 to 2005. Not only the Greats and the pioneers, those who “dug the soil with their nails, without a wooden plow” (according to Takis Bein), to build the framework of classical folk song, but also the forgotten ones who shared moments from their lives and work are included.

All of them, these folk bards, are the authors of the book, they dictated it, and the present edition is a collection, an selection of their words.

Our purpose is not to nostalgic for situations that most of us have not experienced, nor to repeat how important journalist and researcher Panos Geramanis was. The important people were those who appeared on his show; their contribution to folk culture was significant and valuable. Inspired by the “moments” gifted to us by the folk bards, we reflect on how familiar life in the city once was for its residents and how the folk tavern and folk songs fostered a sense of community despite the myriad difficulties of daily life.